The current crop of gearless scooters are flooded with a greater variety of designs and features than your average economy airline seat. And that’s bound to happen, since scooters are becoming a preferred mode of personal transport on two-wheels, when compared to motorcycles. It is no surprise, then, that the scooter market is growing exponentially, and every two-wheeler brand wants a piece of that profitable pie. That said, Hero MotoCorp has brought the Xoom 110 to the table, a sporty and funky-looking scooter, and we’ll try to find out whether it deserves your attention through some quick questions.

What is it?
The first of proper sporty-looking scooters from Hero to get a very appealing design. Until now, the gearless scooters rolling out of Hero have been largely commuter-centric and designed to cater to multiple types of buyers, rather than a specific one. Thankfully, that isn’t the case with the Xoom. Designed keeping Gen Z in mind, I have to admit that Hero has done a fantastic job at sculpting such a good-looking scooter. Every panel on the Xoom, from the front apron to the side panels, have been designed with one singular thought. Even the split-type diamond-cut alloy wheels, along with the chunky-looking exhaust, go perfectly with the sporty attributes of the scooter. Besides the striking Sports Red livery as seen in these images, Hero also offers the Xoom with the choice of three other attractive shades of blue, pearl white, and matte orange.

But that’s not all. To match the sharp body panels, the scooter gets an LED projector headlamp with an H-shaped LED DRL that is surrounded by faux air scoops. It has attractive design elements at the rear, too, like the H-shaped LED tail-light, and the discreetly fashioned floating rear grab rail that has been merged with the tail section. Unlike most modern scooters that feature an external fuel cap, Hero has stuck with a conventional under-seat one, owing to the simplicity, and so as not to break the flow of the design. But, that’s a compromise I am willing to make as the Xoom packs plenty of other features to be excited about.

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First up is a segment-first, which is cornering lights on either side of the front apron that light up on tipping the scooter to a side while riding. The system is controlled by an accelerometer and a gyroscope that switch the cornering lamps on and off. While the thought is appreciated, given the limited time with the scooter and the time of the day, we couldn’t test this feature thoroughly — we weren’t able to see what the light spread is like in the dark, or the duration it stays on for the required visibility. Next is the all-digital LCD instrumentation that packs all the standard information, along with a real-time fuel efficiency indicator, and Bluetooth connectivity for call and message notifications.

Whom is it for?
In a growing market where many are leaning towards a sporty and stylish scooter, the Xoom 110 is a welcome addition. While the other sporty scooters are battling it out in the 125cc segment, Hero has opted to target the 110cc scooter buyer market. Yes, Honda does have the Dio in this segment, but feels outdated now. Weighing 108 kg, the Xoom isn’t the lightest among other 110cc scooters, but, for sure, it feels zippy and light from the get-go.

When it comes to scooters, it can be a big concern when the handlebars tend to not clear the knees at full lock, affecting low-speed handling. Thankfully, that isn’t the case with the Xoom, despite its compact dimensions. One of the reasons for that is the long and well-sculpted seat that offers a lot of room for the rider. In terms of ride quality, it wouldn’t be right to provide a detailed opinion since the test ride route was limited to city roads with smooth tarmac.

However, on the few corners that I encountered, the Xoom indeed felt like a properly fun package. Riding on 12-inch wheels at both ends (something that’s unique to the 110cc segment) with a slightly wider tyre profile at the rear, the sporty scooter does justice to its looks with how it comfortably leans into corners. All of the above attributes should appeal well to college-goers, I suppose. Overall, Hero has got it correct in terms of looks, and dynamics to attract either gender, and that means no questions will be raised on who should have more fun.

Is it quick, then?
Fairly. Underneath, the Xoom is powered by the same 110.9cc mill that already does duty on the Maestro Edge and Pleasure + models. The scooter feels peppy on the go and is prompt to a good twist of the throttle, like most 110cc scooters. In terms of power figures, the numbers are identical at 8.05 bhp and 0.88 kgm. However, in the Xoom, the motor does receive Hero’s i3S tech (Idle Stop-Start System), which should aid in better fuel efficiency.

On the performance front, the Xoom accelerates quickly up to 45-50 kph, where it feels all composed and relaxed. Beyond that, the scooter packs the punch to get to 60-65 kph without any trouble. As for top speed, the scooter maxes out at 83 kph, where its motor feels strained while vibrations can be felt at the floorboard and seat. However, I do wish the Xoom had a little more grunt to match the sporty styling.

Coming to the underpinnings, the Xoom uses a slightly tweaked version of the same chassis that Hero uses for its other two 110cc scooters. Suspension duties are handled by a telescopic fork at the front and an offset monoshock at the rear, and they’ve been calibrated for a sportier ride experience. Braking duties are handled by a disc-drum setup that does a satisfactory job of shedding speed. While the drum brake is fine, the bite of the front disc feels wooden as one needs to apply more brake force than usual for a good bite.

As far as ride quality is concerned, with the sporty setup and the wider rear tyre, and, of course, the larger wheels, the Xoom is a fun scooter to ride. The slim profile lets one zip through traffic with absolute ease, which can get tempting at times. As for road undulations, the larger wheels do help in stability, but the stiffer suspension setup does tend to upset the scooter when tackling rumblers or sizable rutted surfaces.

Should you buy one?
Without a doubt, yes! Considering the fast-growing scooter market, the sporty Hero Xoom 110 packs a fair deal of strength to make a strong impact. It has a couple of features that are unique to the segment, has the appeal that’s bound to receive a second look, and, of course, Hero’s solid service network and brand image — all together, it ticks off all the required boxes. And to mention the prices, Hero is offering the Xoom in three variants with prices starting from Rs 68,599, and going up to Rs 76,6990 for the top-spec variant. That said, for the targeted audience, the Xoom 110 comes across as a solid deal and a scooter that undeniably deserves attention.